The Half-Bloomed Bud - Part 1
by Fire Lily1
Summary: Darien has flashbacks of the past that was taken away by that fatal car accident which led to his amnesia. Frustrated and stressed, a certain Meatball Head comes to help him sort through the mess of memories, and to show him once more how it felt to love.


Author Notes:

This is my first work of fanfiction for Sailor Moon, and I'm sure it won't be my last. Anyways, I don't see why people hate Darien so much (at least in the fics of I've read so far) and, well, I just wanted to write one dedicated to him. In the anime and manga, he isn't a complete asshole that could actually do the stuff some author's are suggesting to Serena, so here's my view of his personality. I suppose I've ranted enough, so go on and read. Oh, if you want to tell me whether you enjoyed or hated my fic (either one beats me) then please r/r!

Usual disclaimers apply.

# The Half-Bloomed Bud- Part 1

## By Fire Lily__

_ _

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_The sky was clear the way only summer could make it with birds soaring in it's depths and butterflies winging their way from flower to flower. In the midst of it was a little boy in his backyard, looking for the ball that his father had thrown for him to catch. He screwed his cap down, brushing pass the bushes and staring hard into the darkness of the leaves for any sign of the baseball._

_"Have you found it yet?"_

_The boy looked up, shaking his head. "I'm sure it's in here, dad!"_

_"All right. Call me if you need help, all right Darien?"_

_Darien Shields nodded, taking off his baseball glove and putting it aside. He tried to brush back the bushes further so he could see what lay beyond, but the prickly twigs were scraping his arms and hands, not permitting him entry. But then a large shadow cast over the bushes and when he looked up he saw his dad, his face covered in the shadows. _

_"Here, son, let me help." He took his large hands and easily parted the bush. When Darien looked in, he saw the white baseball. "Go on and get it, little tyke."_

_Darien nodded eagerly, rushing forward and grabbing the ball. He stood back up and his father placed his glove back on. His back was against the sun, and his face continued to be covered in the shadows. "Do you want to have another go?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"All right, c'mon now." He stood up and walked away and when he turned around, his face, even though the sun was fully against him, was covered in shadows. _

_"Dad?" Darien asked, walking forward. He could distantly make out the outline of the face. There was a strong chin, a cleft making itself distinctly aware. There were small stubbles of hair on his chin and when Darien tried to step closer to have a better view, his father stepped back._

_"Darien, what are you doing?"_

_"Let me see you dad."_

_"Darien..."_

_ _

Darien Shields sat up on his bed, his heart hammering against his chest. He looked around his empty room, the small desk with work papers and the closet of such a small collection of clothes. He stood up, walking to the kitchen and gulping down a glass of water, trying to organize his thoughts. It was the second time that dream came, but now he actually saw part of his father's face. The doctor had said that there would be a time when he'd recover some memories, however vague, but these weren't just vague now. He almost saw his father's face!

The phone rang on it's receiver and he jumped, startled. Walking towards the phone, he answered it. "Mr. Shields? There's an opening for you to work the morning shift, starts at 5. Want to take it?"

Darien glanced at the clock, seeing it was four. He sighed, not wanting to go, but knowing he needed the money to pay for college and keep his apartment. "Yeah, sure, I'll take it."

There was a click and he placed the phone back down. There was a picture frame standing near the phone, but there was no picture inside it. Andrew had given him it for a present, not knowing then that he had nothing to place in it. Usually, Darien would have thrown it away, but it was just too beautiful to be discarded so easily.

Sighing, he went to the bathroom to wash up. In an hour he'll be back to filing the papers, running errands, then rushing for classes in college. Classes that was so hard to afford.

_It was a fair day with the wind rushing past the three people who ate contently in the park. The little boy was off looking for some evil looking bugs to show his mommy, which he knew she'd love. He was bouncing around, looking under the rocks while staying in the 'perimeter' his parents had made for him._

_"Don't walk any further then past this water fountain, all right Darien?" His mother had told him. She was wearing a beautiful dress, her slim figure fitting wonderfully underneath it. Her face was still clouded in shadows as well as his father's, but their company was welcomed. "And don't pass those line of benches, either."_

_"Those?" Darien asked innocently, pointing to a clutter of red ones that were much farther down the path then he knew his mother intended. His father laughed, rummaging his hair._

_"You see, honey, that's my little tyke."_

_"Yeah, and what if your little tyke gets lost?"_

_His father laughed again, the sound warming him. He felt a fresh batch of tears of longing come and he lunged himself against his father's body, holding tightly. He could just distantly feel the warm arms hug him back and he heard his mother's melodious laugh ring out. "That's my little tyke."_

Darien opened his eyes, realizing he had been snoozing. His cheeks were wet and he wiped against them harshly, in complete disbelief that he had actually cried. They were dreams, nothing more, since memories were gone to him. Or was it?

"Mr. Shields!" He heard his boss snap and he looked up. "These files need to be filed." He said as he placed a stack about 2 feet high come into view. "Plus, the computer in room 132 needs to be fixed. I can't find the janitor, so fix the light bulbs in the last few rooms and while your at it, get me some coffee, a cup of milk, two packets of sugar…"

The day had been harsh, especially since he barely was able to stay awake in class. His notes were not a few little facts here and there, a long gap of notes he had missed when he dozed off for a while, and then a continuation of notes he did not understand since he didn't listen to the while gap he had slept through. The only perk there was no dreams. Nothing of that sort came, but just a nice warm blackness that had enveloped him in its dark embrace.

So, it was needless to say that when a certain blonde Meatball Head slammed into him, he wasn't in the best of moods to chitchat. "Watch where you're going!" he snapped, about to pass her by. But, he felt her gaze and he looked towards her with a grown. "What?"

"Did you get any sleep?"

"Sleep? What's that?" he asked, running a hand through his hair. She continued to stare at him and he was getting annoyed. "What is it, Meatball Head?"

"You just really look awful."

"Oh… thanks a lot."

"No, seriously. You're a jerk and everything, but you look really bad." She tentatively stepped forward, taking his books from him. "Here. I'll help you bring these back to your apartment."

"You're not serious are you?"

Serena stared at him, her eyes glinting to show she was dead serious. "Just to know that you didn't faint while walking home."

"I can take care of myself. I don't need you to do that. Plus anyway, won't your father and mother be worried that their daughter hadn't come home yet?" He asked rather spitefully, glancing at his watch. "It's 7 o'clock. What are you doing out?"

"I… well… I had detention."

"Figures," he muttered. He saw her eyes go downcast and annoyingly he felt bad. "All right. Come on. Be the charitable person."

She sent him a bright smile and walked beside him as they walked towards his apartment.

They reached his door and he opened it. Flicking on the lights, he flopped onto the couch, exhaustion getting the better of him. "Thanks, Meatball Head," he whispered, every limb of his body crying for rest. "Just lock the door when you leave."

_He was in the backseat of a car, his father and mother arguing. "Honey, don't worry about it. I can handle these roads."_

_"The weatherman said that it'd be dangerous! Love, the road is already so slippery."_

_"We have to get to your mother's party, don't we? I don't think I can take another speech from David. Did you see him before? Gees… the man never shuts up."_

_His mother giggled, the growing tension lost. They were now driving up a hill, the roads hugging the walls at each turn needed to reach the top. Te car gave a small jerk he car gave a slight jerk, the wheel temporarily slipping from the first curve they had to make. Darien, stuck in the back seat, felt an urgency fill him. _

_"Mom! Dad! Turn back!" he screamed from the back, but his parent's seemed to not hear him. "MOM! DAD!" But then, when he turned around, he saw himself as the 8-year-old boy playing with the videogame his dad had just recently bought him. He stared down at himself, seeing as his whole body seemed more like a projection then anything solid._

_Once more his father lost the grip of wheel, and the car temporarily lost its control. He saw his mother get uneasy. "Love, we…"_

_" I have it under control! Don't worry!"_

_"No! Dad! Turn back!" He yelled, watching as the curve that had changed his life was coming. "Turn back! Do you hear me! Turn back!"_

_But, no one heard and then, it happened. They were about to make the turn, but his father lost control of the wheel. Darien yelled, watching as his mother, her face clouded in shadows, ran to the backseat and engulfed him in a hug. His father had his arms shielding his face as the car slammed against the railing, but then breaking it._

"Darien!"

He sat up and realized that he was in someone's arms. He smelt the fragrance of a familiar Meatball Head and when he glanced up, there she was. "Are you all right? No wonder you don't get any sleep! Darien? Do you want a glass of water?"

"What are you doing here?" He asked confused as to why she had stayed.

"It… well… it was dark out and your apartment is so far from my house. I don't like walking in the dark." Serena's arms dropped from around him and she sat there pensively, watching as he stood up. "I was going to ask you to drive me home, but then you fell asleep…"

"Is that chicken curry?" Darien asked, looking towards the food that was set on the table.

"I'm not the best of a cook, not like Lita, but it's something. Plus, what else would you eat for dinner. I told my mom that I was at Amy's house, but it's really late. Darien, can you drive me home?"

Dare looked at her and nodded. Grabbing his keys, they were out the door.

The streets were still rather packed for 10 o'clock at night. Serena pointed out which streets to turn and in a few minutes, they were in front of her house. Darien looked in, seeing the two-story house with envy. Serena thanked him and was about to get out, but then she paused. Staring at him, she asked, "Darien, who are Jason and Margaret?"

Darien looked at her, wondering if she was joking. "How am I supposed to know?"

She looked at him with a half smile. "You yelled their names out in your dream."

To be continued….

I'm unsure whether I want to continue with this or just end it as it is. Any suggestions? Would you like it continued? Please write me a review! Did my writing suck or was it all right? Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed! 


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